Best Tool or Shovel Suited to Digging out Stubborn Weeds and Roots

AlienC on 24/11/2020 - 20:00

Wondering which shovel most professional gardeners or landscapers can recommend for removing deep rooted weeds and bushes/shrubs.

The ones that we have at work are pretty soft and I am already bending some when I try to apply my weight on them to dig deeper so they are making life hard having to be careful around tools I thought meant for digging and excavating some stubborn weeds and plants that can't be taken out by hand and weight.

I am looking at Bunnings right now and realised that the square shovel is not meant for digging but relocating dirt and etc.

Might try a pointy end shovel this time maybe full steel not too heavy so I can work fast but still sturdy.

If anyone does a lot of gardening or it is their profession I am curious what you guys use to get the job done.

As this is ozbargain I am aiming for something not too expensive as high chance it will be misused or stolen at work where I will leave it.

Thanks.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • mskeggs on 24/11/2020 - 20:05
    +2

    Long handle.
    I would probably think about a mattock too.

    • AlienC on 24/11/2020 - 20:07

      Any brand or model you can endorse or give advice to stay away from.

      Thanks for the info I totally forgot about a mattock.

      • mapax on 24/11/2020 - 20:15

        Mattock is the correct answer. For really hard stuff the guys get a mini excavator, not exactly budget friendly though.

        • AlienC on 24/11/2020 - 20:39

          Unfortunately the job is not that big I'll mostly be tackling small to medium sized garden beds not much larger than a small swimming pool or sedan in terms of 2D space comparisons.

          Would love to just excavate the whole thing but no way to get an excavator inside because it is surrounded by buildings.

          Thanks for your help and recommendations.

          • mapax on 24/11/2020 - 21:11

            @AlienC: An old school crow bar might be another option, the straight ones that are something like 1600mm long.

            Sometimes soaking the roots can make the job easier, other times it just makes a mess.

  • Cheequee on 24/11/2020 - 20:14

    This does a good job. But it will also take out a lot of dirt as the roots of the weeds take with it.
    https://www.bunnings.com.au/fiskars-4-prongs-xact-weed-pulle…

    • mapax on 24/11/2020 - 20:16

      That’s not even close to suitable for removing shrub roots.
      Pretty good for cats ear though.

    • AlienC on 24/11/2020 - 20:34

      Cool tool but for those size weeds a shovel or even sometimes my hands will do I'm talking really stubborn human sized shrubs and weeds.

      I think I just need a sharp tipped shovel or something to cut it maybe the mattock.

      Thanks though really appreciate it.

  • SF3 on 24/11/2020 - 21:28

    Napalm ;)

    • AlienC on 25/11/2020 - 11:49

      I like the smell.

  • ConsumerAffairs on 24/11/2020 - 21:45

    One of these https://www.bunnings.com.au/spear-jackson-long-handle-post-h…

    Have had mine for years, from digging trenches to digging out tree stumps. Used it multiple times levering out concrete and pipes from the ground and it has never let me down.

  • lgacb08 on 24/11/2020 - 22:21

    mattock is good choice, also you want to get a rough garden saw to cut off root as you go further down, a reciprocating saw combining with suitable blade can even help you take down tree & stump

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